System for adapting an automatic screw machine control achieve computer numeric control

Abstract

A system for adapting existing conventional screw machines to be capable of computer numerical control operation. The system incorporates the use of a VersaCam device which replaces the turret cam of a single spindle screw machine. The VersaCam system monitors the motion of the screw machine camshaft and actuates the turret slide in synchronization with the camshaft. The VersaCam system also provides a means of specifying the desired turret slide trajectory for any given job.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A cam simulator subsystem for a system that adapts a conventional, non-computer-numeric-controlled machine having a camshaft and a tool slide to accept computer numeric control, said cam simulator subsystem adapted to substantially synchronize said tool slide with a camshaft-driven mechanism of said machine, said cam simulator subsystem comprising: 
       a time-base to cycle-base conversion subsystem adapted to convert time-based tool slide trajectory parameters to parameters relative to a machine cycle;  
       a cycle-base to time-base conversion subsystem adapted to convert an actual camshaft state together with a desired cycle-based tool slide state to a desired time-based tool slide state.  
     
     
       2. A machine tool apparatus comprising: 
       an operator interface adapted to allow an operator to specify parameters for a feed-in operation, a dwell operation, a feed-out operation, a turn-around operation, and a position operation, said feed-in operation for a cutting operation in which a turret tooling is advanced into a feedstock, said dwell operation for causing a tool slide to remain in a predetermined position for a specific number of spindle revolutions, said feed-out operation for a cutting operation in which said turret tooling is retracted out of said feedstock, said turn-around operation for computing a trajectory which connects adjacent operations, and said position operation for positioning said tool slide in a location for a specified duration;  
       said tool slide adapted to move in said trajectory, said trajectory being made up of said feed-in operation, said dwell operation, said feed-out operation, said turn-around operation, and said position operation.  
     
     
       3. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said feed-in operation uses initial position, feed-in rate, and final position as parameters. 
     
     
       4. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said dwell operation uses duration as a parameter. 
     
     
       5. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said feed-out operation uses feed-out rate and final position as parameters. 
     
     
       6. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said turn-around operation uses minimum clear position and minimum clear period as parameters. 
     
     
       7. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said position operation uses final position and duration as parameters. 
     
     
       8. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said operator interface is adapted to enable an operator to program said apparatus by a keyboard at said apparatus. 
     
     
       9. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said operator interface is adapted to enable an operator to program said apparatus by a touchscreen at said apparatus. 
     
     
       10. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said operator interface includes an output display. 
     
     
       11. The machine tool apparatus of claim  2  wherein said feed-in operation, said dwell operation, said feed-out operation, said turn-around operation, and said position operation span a machine cycle.